The Straw
by See More Glasses
Summary: Buffy is now burdened with normal responsibility after her mother's death.  She has also been busy keeping the underworld at bay, and the underworld has taken notice.  They have formed an army against her, wanting to rid Sunny D of the slayer for good.
1. Chapter 1

The pale hand clawed at her face, the fingers ran a chilly trail down her cheek. Buffy's back was pressed against the wall of the mausoleum. The vampire's other hand was grasping her neck, squeezing her windpipe in so she could only get air in short, burning gasps. She felt her shirt tug as the vampire slid her up the structure.

"Such a pretty dinner." He half snarled.

The pressure was released, the air poured into her lungs as the vampire was knocked off his feet and she fell to the ground. Reasserting her herself she climbed back to her feet, picking her stake up as she did. Spike had his arms wrapped around the vampire's neck. With a twist he snapped it off; the head he held in his hands looked surprised...and then it looked like dust.

Spike was on her in seconds, his face furrowed in anger as he snarled, "Christ slayer, what was that? You got death on the brain?"

She brushed past him, making her way towards the metal arch that was the cemetery's exit. Spike followed her, she knew he would. He was beginning to feel to her like a puppy, loving her unconditionally, "He surprised me." She said.

"Surprised you!" He exclaimed, "He shouldn't be able to graze the floral of your pretty pretty bonnet, much less grab you by the throat." She felt his cold grip on the back of her neck. A wave of revulsion spurred her to twirl out of the way.

"Don't touch me! And I'm not wearing a bonnet."

Spike was hurt, she could see it in his face, those puppy eyes starring up at her like she just swatted him for peeing on the carpet, "It's an expression."

"No it's not."

She felt the tension twisting at her heart already and hated it. She stalked out of the cemetery, underneath the gate, feeling relief cool her heart when she didn't hear Spike pursue her.

"We're going to have to have this out eventually Slayer!" He called after her.

"No we don't!" She yelled back.

"I love you!"

"Shut up!"

The next day she was in the magic shop. She was tired. All night she lay awake trying to cool off. First the vampire nearly killed her, which had her in a near state of panic, and then Spike had to go and be all annoying. Again.

"I just don't know what to do! He won't. Stop. Pestering me!" She said.

Xander was sitting at the table with her and Giles was behind the counter.

"Well, just give him a quick thrust and all of our problems will be solved."

"Xander!"

"Oh. God! Oh, no! Eeew! I meant with a stake. Thrust with a stake. Dust. He'd then be dust. Get it?"

"Yes. Your sparkling wit stuns us all with its brilliance." Giles said dully. He was leaning over the counter over a book. He shut it. "What bothers me is this Vampire. Spike was correct when he said that he shouldn't have been able to get the best of you."

"I know he's right." She groaned, "He just was on me so fast. I didn't even see him coming. I...I don't know what was wrong with me."

"Perhaps you were distracted? Your life has been rather...hectic of late."

"Tip-toe time is over. Mom's dead. I'm dealing."

"I'm not sure you've had time to properly deal with anything Buffy. You're life is becoming chaotic. It's been one ordeal after another in a series of escalating conflicts that is unprecedented for a slayer. Every day I see you, you looked a little bit more tired, a little bit more weary. Frankly I'm more worried now than I've ever been since I've known you."

Buffy felt touched by his concern and she suddenly felt very, very comforted. "Geez Giles," She said, wiping away a tear, "Want some pancakes with that sap?"

He composed himself, "Yes. Well. Before, when you found yourself overwhelmed, as much as it grates me to say it, Spike helped. Perhaps he can be of use now as well."

"Woah! And he comes out of left field! That is a monumentally bad idea! Spike. Vampire. Evil. We are all still clear on this, right?" Xander said.

"Spike's confusing." Buffy said, "But I agree it's a bad idea. I am in some desperate need of a little R and R, but now's not the time. I've been tired before, that wasn't why this suck fiend managed to upper hand me."

"What are you suggesting?"

"I think he was waiting for me. It was a hit."

"That's a troubling thought. If that's true then that means the vampires in Sunnydale are beginning to organize. If they coalesce, and a strong enough bond forms between them, we could be facing a crisis. " Giles said.

"Oh goody, another apocalypse." Buffy groaned.

"Hey, don't be so glum Buffman. We got apocalypses down. We are the masters of the last minute save, snatching victories from the jaws of the hellmouth. Apocalypse? Hah! We mock the face of the apocalypse, to its face, with our face. We face it. And win. What I'm saying is-"

"Gist gotten." Buffy interjected.

"Well, I'm afraid it's much worse than that." Giles said. He looked very, very grim. This unsettled Buffy.

"Worse than an apocalypse?"

"The common vampire forms a bond only when it feels threatened. Usually, this bond is formed against society as a whole. But in Sunny Dale, over the hellmouth, where the supernatural historically has the upper hand, I'm afraid their ire will not be directed at a society they deem a threat, but at the person whom they feel has obstructed their natural domination."

"That was a big sentence that only Watcher brains would be able to understand." Xander said.

"It's a natural cycle that if a slayer becomes to prevalent in a specific area for a long enough time that the vampire's in that area will form a temporary alliance to dispose of the threat she imposes. Frankly, I'm surprised it hasn't happened sooner."

"Wait...that means..."

"They're coming to kill me." Buffy said.

And she felt exhilarated. She felt like she has spent too long fighting Gods and snakes and whatever the hell Adam was. Her life has become a mess of huge tragedies and small victories. One responsibility after another has burdened her so much that each step she took was starting to feel like a chore. If she was a camel then it felt like the straw was on its way to break her back. But with this huge obstacle now obstructing her path, she no longer felt tired, she felt relieved. It was something she could focus on...and then destroy. If the vampire's wanted to coalesce, she was all for it. Things were about to start looking up, she could tell. A smile curved its way onto her lips as her eyes narrowed. Giles looked at her with concern and confusion, this was clearly not the reaction he was expecting.

"Um, Buff?" Xander said, also concerned, "I think she's checked out Giles."

"Buffy? Perhaps we should consider a temporary retreat. If it's too much to handle right now, we will wait. There will be casualties, sure, but there will be many more if you get into a fight you can't win."

"No. No retreat." She said with relish, "I say we send'em all back to hell."

Every. Single. One.

CUE DRAMATIC CUT TO BLACK!


	2. Chapter 2

Spike was sitting in the pitch black of his crypt, watching the night in despondency. He was crestfallen that his continued advances for Buffy were constantly thwarted, and he was beginning to feel that his cause was most definitely lost.

Then there came a pounding at the crypt door, and if Spike had a heart it would have leapt into his throat.

"Couldn't resist, could ya pet?" He called out and sped to the door and threw it opened. He was disappointed to see that it wasn't Buffy at all, but a Vampire. Then he felt pissed.

"You got two bleeding seconds to tell me what the hell you're doing here, and two more bleeding ones before I bleed you."

The vampire spoke, his voice was calm and collected. Spike did not like this. "I came only to talk. Can I come in? I think what I have to say is going to be welcome here."

Spike, unable to resist the promise of something good, stepped aside for the vampire to enter, "It's your life." He said.

The vampire stepped past him, "Not for a long while now."

#-

Buffy and the gang had gathered at the Magic Box when night fell, per Giles' suggestion. He had thought it best that they figure out who exactly they were fighting before they fight, and he also thought that until the enemies' numbers were clear that it best not go out at night. The slayer's friends, he had told them, would be in just as much peril as Buffy would.

Tara noticed something, "There's still one missing."

"Nope," Xander said, counting, "Tara, Willow, Giles, Buffy, Dawn, and my Girl. All of us are here and accounted for."

"She means Spike." Willow said.

"Are we counting him as a friend now?" Anya asked, "I mean, I suppose if not killing us counts as friendship it works. But then under that reasoning we'd have to count most of Sunny Dale as friends and the magic box can't contain them all. And I still think he'd kill us if he could, so if it is truly the thought that counts then I'd have to say he isn't very much like a friend."

"He is probably be in danger." Giles added, "I can't imagine Sunny Dale's demon population being very fond of him to begin with. Traitor is not a healthy brand to possess in any circle, demonic or otherwise."

"Let the sucker get what's coming to him."

"Xander!"

"Hey, sorry Will, but if he bites the dust I still firmly believe the world would be a better place. Oh, and sidebar, how are we sure he's not WORKING with the other vamps? This undead army will be majorly convenient to him if he wants us dead."

"No," Buffy replied, "He wouldn't work with them."

"How do you know?" Giles asked.

"Because he wouldn't hurt me. I know we're not all Spike fans here, but he's a huge gun to have on our side. He could do about as much heavy lifting as I can."

"If he can be bothered to help." Xander said.

"If the stakes are high enough, he'll help. Giles, I'm going to go get him tonight."

"Alright," Giles replied, "But we'll all go. It's too dangerous for you to be out there alone."

Buffy shook her head, "I'd like to have a base of operations to come back to. It could get chaotic out there real fast. If things get rough I can always retreat."

"Alright."

"It's not alright." Xander said.

"Xander, I know you don't like Spik-"

"This has nothing to do with liking Spike or not. Well, sure, I'd like to see him as dust in the wind, but hey, if wishes were gift horse's mouths or whatever. What I have a problem with is you going out there alone. I'm coming with you."

"That's stupid. It's not safe."

"Yeah and welcome to Sunny Dale, home of the stupid and the not safe. Look, I can either go with you or stalk you from thirty feet behind."

"Alright." Buffy conceded, "Thank you. We should go ahead and do this. The sooner the less dangerous, I think."

"Right. Be quick about it." Giles said.

Buffy and Xander equipped and headed out the door.

"And do please be careful. It's even less safe than normal."


	3. Chapter 3

1

Xander found it hard when walking through the cemetery not to peer into the darkness in fear of some ravaging vampires. He thought he heard something and turned lifting his stake up to his chest, poised to strike. This annoyed Buffy.

"Stop it." She said.

"Yeah, yeah, of course. I just keep thinking I see something."

"I don't know why you volunteered to come along if 'quiver in fear' is going to be your weapon of choice."

"Hey, I'll have you know I've mastered the quiver technique. A few years at Sunny D High and my quiver could befuddle and confound the most blood thirsty of vampires."

"Just stop it, your wigging me out."

"Roger-o."

He stuck the stake in his pocket to keep from swinging it around aimlessly.

"Hey Buff."

"Yeah?"

"I don't want to poke holes at your heroic fearlessness in the face of all that is fearful, but I'm a little concerned you seem to be taking this army of the undead thing so lightly."

"You shouldn't be."

"Why's that?"

"I don't know if I can put it into words, or at least words that you would understand."

"Alright."

"Hmm. Ok. I guess I can try. It's like in Star Wars-"

"Really? You went straight there? You want to talk geek so you pull out the Star Wars? For shame Buffy! For. Shame."

"Do you want to hear it or not?"

"Fine."

"You know how in Star Wars the guy with the light sword-"

"Saber."

"Well, this guy-"

"Luke."

"Right. This guy Luke has to fight these faceless fashion disasters. What were they called?"

"Storm Troopers."

"Hey, do you think they wear those suits after labor day?"

"Focus!"

"Yeah. Right. Well, after awhile, after knocking them about for three movies, he's gonna stop shivering in his boots every time a few of them decide to gang up on him. Even if it's thousands of them. Unless he's fighting Dark ("Darth!") Vader himself, the white guys are just going to be stress relief."

They were nearing Spike's crypt. As Buffy approached the door she heard two voices talking. One was Spikes, and the other oozed of that egotistical "the world is mine" crap that she had come to associate with vampires. As she pushed open the crypt door she heard the unknown voice utter a small cry of pain. Then she heard him become dusted. By the time she rounded the door to see Spike he was standing by himself. At his feet was a pile of dust.

"Well if it isn't Scooby Doo," Spike said as he saw Buffy, "And Scrappy too!" He added when Xander appeared, "What can I do to help out the gang today?" He said sarcastically.

"What was that?" Buffy asked.

"Oh this?" Spike kicked at the dust pile, "This is just vacuum fodder. It WAS a vampire. Why, you concerned about me?"

"As if! What did he want?"

"Wanted to talk a little business. Said if I helped him he could get this nasty little chip out of my head."

Xander was incensed, "I knew it! I knew you'd help them! Just couldn't stay away from the evil, could you?"

This pissed Spike off. "I'll have you know that I've never left the evil! Just 'cause I can't rip into your throat doesn't mean I don't cull myself to sleep at night dreaming about bathing in your blood, boy."

"How gay CAN you get? Hey Buffy, are we sure Spike doesn't have a crush on me and not you?"

Spike felt the piss turn to rage and charged at Xander. Buffy side stepped between them, "Chill! We only came to talk."

"I aint saying nothing else unless someone takes Scrappy out to the yard."

"Not a chance!" Xander said.

"Xander." Buffy pleaded, "Please."

"Fine. But only because I know Spike's neutered."

Xander left. Spike felt worried that Buffy shared Xander's concern that he would turn on them, "I wasn't tempted by the promise. He couldn't follow through with removing the chip if he wanted to. The plan was obviously to get my help and then stake me at the first opportune moment." He looked over at her with eyes that begged to be believed. And she did believe him.

"I know." She paused, "We need your help Spike."

"I know. Vamp here spilled his guts. Coalition against the Slayer, he called it. He was spilling some crap about the domination of vampires. All he really meant was he wanted you dead, just didn't want to come out and say it to me."

"Why not?"

"They know whose man I am." Spike looked at her with such a piercing gaze that she was overcome with bashfulness and decided to stare at the floor. This moment was interrupted by Xander's shreek.

"Oh thank God." Buffy said in relief.

Xander came running into the crypt. He was out of breath. Putting his back against the crypt door he began to push. After straining for a few moments and getting nowhere Buffy put her hand onto the cement door and slammed it shut, "You alright?"

"Vampires." He said between short gasps, "Lots and lots of vampires."

"How many?" She asked.

"I lost count after OhmygodI'mgoingtodie!"

"Right then." Spike walked up to the door. The snarls and growls of vampires could be heard from behind it.

"How secure is this place?" Buffy asked Spike.

"Not secure enough to keep them out until sunrise."

"Alright. Xander, stay here."

"Not a chance!" Xander said, "I have some pride you know."

"I can't fight all out when I'm worrying about you!"

"Alright, just give me the crossbow."

This caused Buffy to pause, "But I like the crossbow!" She pouted, "Plus I'm really good with it!"

"Puh-lease! You shoot one vampire in the chest, it gets knocked out of your hand, and you spend the rest of the fight stabbing them with the bolts. I've seen this dance before. Just give me the crossbow, I'll be of more use with it, considering my lack of super-strength."

"This is stupid." Spike cut in.

"Fine." Buffy conceded, handing Xander the crossbow, "We ready now?

"Don't be sore."

"Shut up. We set?"

"Yes." Xander and Spike said.

Buffy and Spike pulled open the door and the three of them went out into the night.


End file.
